Tips Ensure Electrical System Properly Grounded

In Carson, Calif., our homeowner will have to get her electrical system back on solid ground by repairing the missing ground wire. The ground wire diverts an electrical surge away from the outlet. Electricity travels down the wire harmlessly into the ground instead of causing a shock and damaging what’s plugged into it.

Homes built in the last 40 years have grounded electrical circuits. That's the round hole in the electrical outlet usually connected to the ground wire. But just having the proper outlet doesn’t mean it's working properly. Here are some tips to make sure your circuits are on solid ground:

• Pick up a circuit tester at any hardware store. Plug it in and it will indicate if the circuit is grounded.
  
• Call a licensed electrician if you suspect your outlets are not properly grounded.
  
• And consider replacing two pronged ungrounded outlets with those containing a ground fault circuit interrupter. It provides protection against shock particularly in areas that could become wet like the kitchen countertop or in a bathroom near the sink.